Insertion reactions of silylenoid Ph2SiLi(OBu-t) into X-H bonds (X = F, OH, and NH2).

The insertion reactions of silylenoid [(tert-butoxy)diphenylsilyl]lithium Ph(2)SiLi(OBu-t) into HF, H(2)O, and NH(3) molecules have been studied by using density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level. To better understand the reactivity of silylenoid Ph(2)SiLi(OBu-t), its two most stable isomers, the p-complex (1) and the three-membered ring (2), were selected for reactants. Natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis has been performed to study the effects of charge transfer and to understand the nature of different interactions between atoms or groups. The results indicate that (i) the insertion of Ph(2)SiLi(OBu-t) into X-H bond proceeds in a concerted manner via a three-membered-ring transition state to form substituted silane Ph(2)SiHX with dissociation of LiOBu-t; (ii) the activation barrier increases in the order of HF < H(2)O < NH(3), and the barrier heights of the 1 insertions are higher than those of the 2 insertions, respectively; (iii) both 1 and 2 display ambiphilic character in their insertion reactions.